Is David Hayter returning for Metal Gear Solid V?

Last month we faced the news that after roughly 15 years of voicing Solid Snake and Big Boss, David Hayter (who also starred in Guyver and wrote X2) would not be returning for Metal Gear Solid V.

Hayter himself, though upset, seemed rather chilled out about the whole situation:

“I have been up in Toronto, for the past eight months, directing my first film,” Hayter explained. “On the December break, I came home to Los Angeles for the holidays. I heard then, that recording sessions for MG:V were being put together. But I didn’t hear anything about whether I’d be needed or not. So, I got in touch with someone involved in the production. We got together for lunch, and he told me that they ‘wouldn’t be needing me’ on this game. No reason, or explanation was given beyond that. And that was it.”

“It’s been fifteen years, nine games, and an enormous blast to undertake,” he wrote. “If it were my choice, I would do this role forever. To hear anyone else’s voice coming from Snake’s battered throat, makes me a little ill, to be honest. But the truth is — it’s not my choice. Any and all casting decisions are the sole purview of Hideo Kojima, and Konami itself. And that’s fair. And I’ll get by. I am not lacking for employment on any level. But I didn’t want anybody to think that I was intentionally abandoning them. And know that I will miss this job, and this character, very much.”

But now we have mysterious tweet from the man himself regarding E3.

I’m so excited for E3!I just hope I don’t lose my voice.;-)— David Hayter (@DavidBHayter) May 29, 2013

Though E3 itself kicks off in 11 days time, a Konami presented pre-show will occur on 6th June, at which “the new voice of Snake” will be unveiled.

So what does this mean? MGS creator Hideo Kojima is known for playing with people’s expectations, so could he and Hayter be pulling everyone’s leg? Is this an elaborate way to build buzz (not that it needs it). Is Hayter coming back? Or is he making a joke of the fact that a new voice actor will effectively be taking his voice?